Replaceable cartridge system for conveyor apparatus

Abstract

A system in which an easily replaceable cartridge containing conveyor mechanisms such as wheels and belts, and a base for mounting the cartridge transports documents. The cartridge includes a carcass having a plurality of recesses in which respective wheels are disposed. When the cartridge is not mounted on the base, the wheels are retained within the recesses in contact with the carcass by belts which encircle the carcass. The base includes a plurality of bearing members of like member to the wheels. When the cartridge is mounted on the base, the wheels are engaged by the bearing members. The base is provided with a tensioning device which, when operated, tensions the belt and spaces the wheels away from the carcass, permitting them to rotate freely about their associated bearing members. At least one of the wheels is retained upon a hub assembly by a click-on, click-off mechanism requiring only single handed operation.

I claim: 
     
       1. A system including a replaceable cartridge and a base for receiving said cartridge; said cartridge including a central carcass having a plurality of recesses formed therein, a plurality of replaceable wheel members disposed respectively in said recesses; said base including a plurality of bearing members respectively for said plurality of wheel members, an elastic belt passing around the outside of said carcass and engaging said plurality of wheel members; said belt being operative to retain each of said plurality of wheel members in its respective recess when said cartridge is not mounted on said base; means for mounting said cartridge on said base whereby said bearing members engage respective ones of said wheel members, said base comprising means operative upon the mounting of said cartridge on said base for moving at least one of said bearing members away from another bearing member, said carcass being free thereafter to move relative to said base to take up a position wherein said wheel members can rotate respectively about said bearing members. 
     
     
       2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said carcass comprised an elongated carcass retaining slot, said base comprising a carcass locating pin, said freedom of movement of said carcass relative to said base being achieved by the movement of said carcass locating pin within said elongated carcass retaining slot. 
     
     
       3. A system according to claim 2 wherein at least one of said bearing members comprises a hub assembly operative to engage and hold its respective wheel member when said last mentioned wheel member is seated thereon, said hub assembly including a release button, and being operative to release and eject its respective wheel member in response to depression of said release button. 
     
     
       4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said wheel member for engaging said hub assembly comprises a plurality of locating splines disposed on an inner surface of a void in said last mentioned wheel member; said hub assembly comprising a plurality of drive splines operative to engage said locating splines such that a drive spline lies adjacent to a locating spline; said hub assembly comprising a locking member operative to move relative to said drive splines when said locating splines are fully engaged with said drive splines, said locking member contacting an upper surface of the locating spline of said wheel member which lies adjacent to a drive spline, thereby preventing relative movement of the locating and drive splines and locking the wheel member on said hub assembly. 
     
     
       5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said hub assembly comprises an ejection member; said ejection member being comprises of a cylindrical body having at one extremity thereof a plurality of radially disposed flanges and at its opposite extremity, a plurality of axially disposed locking arms, said locating splines being operative to engage said flanges of said ejection member and to depress said locking arms of said ejection member against elastic restitutional force when the wheel member is disposed on said hub assembly; the depression of said locking arms of said ejection member permitting said locking member to rotate to a locked position indicative of its contact with said upper surface of said locating spline adjacent to a drive spline, said locking member being operative to engage said locking arms of said ejection member to retain said ejection member in a fully depressed condition; said release button being operative to rotate said locking member back to an unlocked position, said elastic restitutional force causing said flanges of said ejection member to push against said locating splines to urge the wheel member from said hub assembly, and said locking arms of said ejection member moving to engage said locking member to retain said locking member in said unlocked position until said ejection member is again depressed. 
     
     
       6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said base includes a fixed baseplate and a movable plate slidably disposed thereon, said movable plate having mounted thereon at least one of said bearing members distinct from said bearing member which comprises said hub assembly, tension lever means affixed to said base plate, a cam recess formed in said movable plate, said tension lever means including a cam arm disposed in said cam recess, said tension lever means being operative upon the mounting of said cartridge on said base to cause said movable plate to slide in a direction which further separates the bearing member mounted on said movable plate from said hub assembly, the latter assembly being mounted on said base proximate said movable plate, said tension lever means thereby tensioning said belt and causing the wheel member associated with the last mentioned bearing member and hub assembly to be spaced away from said carcass and to be free to rotate. 
     
     
       7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said carcass includes an elongated slot, said tension lever means having a tang for engaging said slot when said tension lever means is operated, thereby locking said cartridge on said base. 
     
     
       8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said wheel member disposed on said bearing member comprised of a hub assembly is a drive wheel, and the wheel members disposed on said remaining bearing members are respective idler wheels. 
     
     
       9. A replaceable cartridge system comprising in combination of a cartridge assembly, said cartridge assembly including a carcass, said carcass having a central body portion, a pair of plates affixed to opposite sides of said body portion whereby said plates are held in parallel spaced-apart relation to each other, a plurality of pairs of arcuate openings formed in said plates, each of said pairs of openings being substantially identical and being homologously disposed in respective ones of said plates, a plurality of wheel members situated respectively in said plurality of pairs of arcuate openings, a pair of belts disposed in proximity to said plates and encircling respectively opposite extremities of said wheel members, said belts urging said wheel members against said plates, at least one of said plates having a plurality of spaced-apart carcass retaining slots; a base assembly for mounting said cartridge assembly, said base assembly comprising a fixed baseplate and a movable plate slidably disposed thereon, said movable plate having a plurality of carcass locating pins protruding therefrom for disposition respectively within said carcass retaining slots, a plurality of bearing members for engaging respectively said wheel members, one of said bearing members being affixed to said base assembly proximate said movable plate and at least one additional bearing member being affixed to said movable plate, and means for moving said movable plate in relation to said fixed plate whereby said pair of belts are tensioned and said wheel members associated respectively with said bearing members on the respective fixed and movable plates are spaced apart, the interaction of said carcass locating pins with said carcass retaining slots permitting said carcass assembly to assume a position where it avoids contact with said wheel members thus permitting said wheel members to rotate freely.   
     
     
       10. A replaceable cartridge system as defined in claim 9 wherein said wheel member disposed on said bearing member affixed to said movable plate has a waisted central section formed by joining two frusto-conical sections at their respective narrow extremities, said last mentioned joined sections forming said wheel member. A replaceable cartridge system as defined in claim   
     
     
       11. Wherein said bearing member affixed to said base assembly comprises a feed hub assembly, said feed hub assembly including a hub base with a keyed aperture set in a platform section thereof, said platform having a plurality of aperture formed therein, an ejector ring spring mounted within said hub base and having a plurality of locking arms adapted to protrude through said apertures in said platform of said hub base, a locking ring disposed adjacent said hub base and having a plurality of passages therein, a release button having a plurality of release arms, said release arms passing through said passages in said locking ring, said release button further having a plurality of securing legs which pass through said passages in said locking ring, said hub base having leg securing passages in said platform, said securing legs being retained in said leg securing passages. 
     
     
       12. A replaceable cartridge system as defined in claim 11 wherein said wheel member associated with said feed hub assembly is a drive wheel and includes on its inner surface a plurality of locating splines, said hub base having on its outer surface a plurality of drive splines, said locating splines and said drive splines being contiguously disposed when said last mentioned wheel member is received on said feed hub assembly.